Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Other forms of IBD include lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis. Patients with fulminant ulcerative colitis are currently treated with high doses of steroids. Clinical phase-III trials with anti-TNFα are under way. Both drugs are general inhibitors of inflammation. They are effective in about 50% of cases but produce serious adverse effects. Frequently, patients may also have recurrent episodes of fulminant colitis. In patients with fulminant colitis not responding to medical treatment prompt surgical intervention is mandatory. Ulcerative colitis is always restricted to the large intestine (colon). In fulminant colitis the colon is resected and an external ileostoma constructed. After recovery and possibly further medical treatment of rectal stump inflammation either ileorectal anastomosis or reconstructive surgery with a pelvic pouch is performed in most patients to restore intestinal continuity. Both operative procedures entail loose stools about six times daily and disturbances in water- and mineral balances.
Patients with Crohn's disease usually have their inflammation in the most distal part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine (ileocaecal region), but the inflammation can be located in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Medical treatment cannot cure the disease although temporary relief may be provided by anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids and aza-thioprine. Surgery with resection of stenotic and fistulating bowel segments is indicated in about 50% of patients; half of them will have recurrences and need further surgery. Therefore a method which can specifically turn off the inflammation in IBD and prevent recurrent disease in the individual patient is highly warranted.
WO2005113037 discloses a filter and a method for removing selected materials from a biological fluid sample. The filter comprises an outer housing, inlet, and outlet. A plurality of filter surfaces are provided within the outer housing, and at least one coating is applied to the filter surfaces. The at least one coating comprises at least two binding modules that are in turn selectively bound to one another. One binding module is selectively bound to the filter surfaces and another binding module is configured to bind selectively to the selected materials that are to be removed from the fluid sample. As the fluid sample is allowed to pass through the inlet, outer housing, and outlet, the selected materials are selectively bound to the filter surfaces via the coating. The fluid sample is a blood sample. One selected fluid component is a blood component chosen from, i.a., leukocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes.
Filter media and apparatus for separation of leukocytes from blood are disclosed in, i.a.: JP2003265596; U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,457; JP04187206; U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,993; JP03000074; JP02167071; JP02009823; JP10057477.